Auction of a Bride's Shoe
Jeanette R.
Region 6

I would love to share a German tradition I was introduced to at my wedding. My fiance has a very large extended German family that has cataloged their family history from Germany to their arrival in boats to Ellis Island in New York. They of course brought with them the delicious recipes they enjoyed and learned to make from their parents and relatives. My fiance's aunts spent many hours showing me how to make strudel, learning to stretch the dough thinly across the table. It was one of the special memories my fiance remembers most from his youth; all the women in the kitchen cooking, laughing and preparing a feast, as the children ran about playing games before the dinner was served. As I was planning our wedding I kept hearing the tradition of "auctioning off the brides shoe," and that my husband's older aunts and uncles would like to keep this tradition alive at our reception. The big day arrived and at the reception my husband's uncle asked me for one of my wedding shoes. What happened next was fun for all, it kept us all laughing and in suspense as to who would be the lucky winner of the auction. I was told that whoever did win would be able to "kiss the bride," and return the shoe. If a man won, he would kiss the bride, if a woman won, she would kiss the groom. The auction created a great ice breaker for both families as each raised their dollars to be the lucky last bidder. The aunts and uncles arrived with their pockets full of dollar bills to vie for the brides shoe; it created so much fun that my family members were going inside there wallets to join in the bidding event. My new father-in-law became the final winner of the auction, and to this day the "bride's shoe auction" is a favorite for all new brides getting married in our family. In the end the money produced from the auction helped this newly married young couple go on a beautiful honeymoon. That it instilled in me was keeping family traditions alive, passing them on to my children and sharing the diversity and heritage of their great grandparent"s culture. It may be a German tradition but I hope all brides and their families no matter their heritage will have a "bride's shoe auction." It was new to me then, but its memories and its tradition are still going.

Helene W.
Region 1

It all started in college where the charming couple met. After years of dating the couple decided to embark on the journey of a lifetime and tie the knot. The fairy tale wedding started with a handout. "Angels are among us. Just look around. You are our angels for you have come here with love in your heart. You have stood by our sides through the years, the joys and sorrows. On this day there is not only a union of two people, but also two families with their own rich cultures. We have sought to create our own unique ceremony which includes elements of my Irish Catholic traditions and my husband's Jewish heritage." And so it began. A bagpiper, the groom's friend, played numerous songs, the most unique one being the Jewish song Hava Nagila. The bride and groom were separately escorted by their parents onto a bridge over a pond containing koi fish. Each was left partway down the aisle where they met and approached the altar which was under a canopy of palm like trees and flowers. A harpist played. The ceremony included readings, lighting of a unity candle and remembrance of family who had passed away, exchange of rings and vows, sign of peace, and the breaking of the wine glass. Both families were an integral part of the ceremonies. After the bride and groom's first dance, the dance floor was opened with a traditional Jewish hora. A blessing over the bread by the groom's grandfather preceded numerous types of food and drinks that were served. After the meal, a group of Irish dancers entered the dance floor and performed Step dances. Once again, everyone was encouraged to join in.

Two lives, two different worlds, intertwined in holy matrimony and a wonderful new life together. And that's only the beginning!

Jeanne C.
Region 2

Our tradition began with my wedding in August of 1978. My father was a huge Ohio State University buckeye fan. He began in 1942 as a Boy Scout Usher and then attended almost all home games until he passed in 2007. He once told me he only missed three home games total. At my wedding he was handed a toilet plunger and he used it for a baton, marching like the drum major (yes he marched with his knees up very high). This wasn't planned but both my brothers, myself, then my new husband all joined the train right after Dad. Most of the guests joined the train as we marched around the room. This tradition was followed for many weddings. Now that Dad is gone, my brother decided to keep the tradition going and preformed with the toilet plunger at my son's wedding. Needless to say, Dad would be very proud of his performance!

The Country Wedding
Donna S.
Region 3

Jeremy was the one who was never getting married. He (our younger son) was pushing 30 and had been looking for the right girl for quite a few years. There had been others, but never the right one. He claimed the girls close to his age were already taken, or had already been married and divorced, or had "issues," or had just been in a bad relationship, or had a lot of "baggage," etc., etc. There were ones who told him he was "too nice" or "too understanding." And he was nice and understanding and generous--always the groomsman, never the groom.

Then he got invited to a coworker's wedding, and that evening he got a glimpse of the bride's sister. After that, things moved rather quickly--he went to dinners hosted by the new bride (of course her sister was invited too) and he was invited to the family farm. Finally he brought Ursula, a lovely young woman, to meet us. Upon entering our home, she of course noticed our Hummels and actually knew what they were! Many young people today do not. However, her mother was from Austria--so she was acquainted with the little porcelain figures.

Soon wedding plans were being made for the following May. For their wedding place, they had chosen The Barn at County Line Orchard. The 1940s red barn had been taken apart in sections and reconstructed within the working apple orchard. Its interior featured original solid oak, including the stairways to the upper loft, the walls and the flooring. The apple orchard was just beginning to use its historic facility for family reunions, large parties, and weddings. During the summer and early fall, the barn was used for picking, packing and selling their apples and homemade products. From late fall to spring it was used for special events. It was perfect for Jeremy and Ursula and they both loved the country theme and its setting.

The wedding ceremony was held in the upper loft, resplendent with ivory tulle and twinkling white lights, and a lighted arch where the bride and groom recited their vows to the pastor, friends and family. Afterwards, while photos were being taken both indoors and outside under the trees, tractor rides on hay wagons were given to the guests introducing them to the lovely orchards in bloom. It was a beautiful day in May, and some great pictures were made of the wedding party, their family and friends.

The reception was held on the main floor with a catered dinner for all. One wedding cake, made by friends of the groom, was in the shape of the red barn, and I placed the Hummel figurine, Dearly Beloved, on its base. A large traditional tiered wedding cake was also available. The remainder of the Dearly Beloved figurine set, personalized by Ulrich Tendera with their names and wedding date, was part of a wedding gift to Jeremy and Ursula.

This lovely day, in such a historic setting, was a memorable event for us all.

Patricia L.
Region 4

My daughter-in-law was named after her Grandmother. Grandma loved shoes, loved the color purple and especially loved purple shoes!

What do you suppose was found peeking out from under Linda's wedding dress? The classiest, purple-est shoes to be found! Grandma Linny would be sooo thrilled!!!

The Joining of Traditions - A Most Special Wedding
Constance L.
Region 5

A wedding is an inspirational tradition of two lives becoming one, and so, three summers ago, in a garden on the banks of a mountain lake, under a sky so blue it seemed almost surreal, a dear family friend and his bride came to be married. The groom was just out of the army following two tours of duty in the Middle East on an aircraft carrier. He had often mentioned that the time there was made a bit easier because of a friendship he had formed with another young man from Idaho.

The wedding began, and as the procession up the petal-strewn aisle commenced, the guests noticed that there was a beautiful girl in a long black formal gown walking down the aisle with the tuxedo clad groomsmen. When the wedding party had gathered, the minister explained to the guests that the young woman was the sister of that other army soldier who had been the groom's best friend on the carrier. That man was to have stood at the groom's side for the wedding but tragically, he had been killed in a plane crash the previous month. His sister was standing in for him. The bride and groom took the time to hug her before they turned to the minister to say their traditional vows.

Suddenly, a great roar of thunder sounded. From behind the mountains at the back of the lake, three fighter jets shot into the otherwise clear sky and headed directly toward the wedding which just stopped in suspension. No one could look away from the approaching airplanes. In the seconds before the three flew directly overhead, one jet split off from the formation, shot straight up into the sky, and disappeared, leaving only a faint white stream. It was in that moment that the awed crowd remembered another tradition, the one that honors "the fallen comrade."

A stunned silence was only punctuated by soft crying. But the bride and groom smiled through their tears, and the wedding resumed. The couple later said that they will remember two traditions when they look back at their wedding day. The surprise was for everyone, and to this day, even the family does not know who sent the jets the 400 miles from the Idaho Air Force base. The couple recently told me that they do not care to know. Those of us who were lucky enough to share that day with them will never forget how two traditions came together in a unique celebration of very special lives.

Mark S.
Region 6

Erin went through her "difficult years" after her father died of cancer when she was 12. Her mother never wavered in her love and support, despite Erin's new world of tattoos, piercings and even serious drug abuse.

When Erin came home to introduce her fiance, whom she'd met at Narcotics Anonymous, Mom wondered what the wedding would be like. She literally fell off her chair when the couple said they wanted to be married in the local church, a gorgeous Gothic wonder of stained glass and romantic tradition. The groom-to-be had a mohawk and tattoos everywhere, including on every finger. Mom thought, "What will people at church say?!" Then she feared what relatives from her small Midwestern farm town would wonder, when they saw little Erin grown up - with angel wings tattooed the length of her arms! And the bride would wear a sleeveless and strapless gown. At least the groom would only have the tattoos on his hands and neck showing. "What will the priest say?" Mom asked the couple.

"Oh, we already talked with him," Erin said. "He's happy we're getting married. In fact, he suggested the German party favors we're giving at the reception." Mom knew that the priest collected Hummel figurines, but she couldn't afford to give 250 guests their own Hummels, she said. It turns out that the priest was "addicted" to collecting little German toys inside chocolates, and that's how he started his conversation with the couple, discussing the challenge of facing addictions.

To prevent gasps at the wedding from those unfamiliar with tattoos, the happy couple invited all the out-of-town guests to the rehearsal dinner, where they had "Show and Tell", sharing the colorful stories behind the colorful decorations. The groom's friends in a rock band upstaged them all, so everyone was able to focus on the love and look beyond the differences. And they got to know the couple so much better, too!

The Big Day came, and the couple looked beautiful (and cool), arriving in front of the tall whitewashed steeple in their horse-drawn carriage. Erin's brother cut his hair and was beaming with pride as he escorted his sister down the aisle. Mom's tears of joy, watching her son walk her daughter down the aisle, were tinged with sadness because she missed her husband so very much. But he was watching from above, she was sure. So she smiled that special smile that only certain mothers can.

"We've been through much", the couple proclaimed in their vows, "and we commit ourselves to so much more." The priest added, "With family and friends who love and support you, I now pronounce you husband and wife."

Erin threw her tattooed arms around her husband's multicolored neck, and they held a kiss that gave us a glimpse of eternity. Tears were even rolling down the priest's face. I know, because I am that priest who loves the romance and nostalgia of Hummels in a world of people who appear different.

Something Old, Something New...
Joanne W.
Region 1

When a young couple decides to marry and begin to make plans many traditions occur and some are set aside. The beginning of many traditions began when our son-in-law came to ask for our daughter's hand in marriage.

Both our daughter Heidi and Eric were raised in homes with Bavarian traditions and customs. They both also belong to folk dancing groups, one in Rochester and one in Buffalo. They were well aware of ancestral Bavarian traditions, customs, costumes and culture.

Our daughter decided she would set aside wearing a white wedding dress and veil in lieu of the "Schalk", the historical wedding attire of Bavarian brides was her choice. Blue brocade material was ordered from Munich and the sewing began. The bride choose to wear her mother's wedding tiara and she would wear a Halskette (traditional necklace) given to her by her father years before.

Her matron-of-honor wore the costume of married women. Eric wore the Allgauer fest costume as did the best man. The ring bearers wore lederhosen. The parents of the bride and groom also were attired traditional Bavarian Tracht.

The wedding day was beautiful with sunshine that made the newly fallen snow sparkle. Heidi decided that her day would be filled with joy and fun. Before guests arrived for the ceremony Heidi and Eric walked in the deep snow. Their parents had mixed feelings about this idea. She greeted a good number of her relatives before the ceremony yet was solemn during the ceremony and enjoyed every minute of her wedding day.

The bride carried a beautiful bouquet filled with Edelweiss as she was escorted by her father into the Meadowbrook Room where the marriage would take place as the traditional wedding march was played. They walked under a canopy of green boughs held by the members of their Volktaenze groups. The ceremony included their vows, the lighting of a unity candle and the exchange of rings. When it was declared that they were married, the song "Vivat dem Brautigam" (Salute in honor of the bride and groom) was sung a by those in attendance accompanied by zither music. "Edelweiss" played on a zither was the recessional music with the newly married couple leading everyone under the canopy to the reception hall.

The wedding cake was adorned with fresh flowers and the groom's gift to bride - Here's My Heart Hum 466. After cutting the cake the bridal dance opened the evening's festivities. Soon after, the bride danced with her father. The evening was filled with Bavarian and Viennese music. Folk dances were performed to honor the bride and groom.

In late evening another old tradition of stealing the bride by men folk dancers took place. They left the premises of the celebration. It is custom for the groom and the lady folk dancers and the wedding party to find the bride and pay the ransom, which was paid, before returning to the wedding reception.

The Bride Wore Red
Rita N.
Region 2

A bride floating down the aisle in a red silk dress and simple cathedral length white veil adorned with a purple orchid and pearl wreath. A one-of-a-kind pearl necklace with the couple's initials entwined into the clasp. Fall leaves strewn down the church aisle. A hog's head with an apple in a place of honor on the buffet table. Handmade figures of knights and their ladies in red for the table centerpieces. A tiered cake decorated with Tudor roses, supporting a stunning stained glass carved Tudor rose. These images drift through my mind when I remember this particular wedding. I shouldn't have been surprised with my niece, the bride, a medieval scholar and an arts love. It was truly a wedding to remember!

My sister in St. Louis called frantically one-week before the wedding saying she couldn't fit the bride's gown onto the bride, could I come from Maryland and help? Of course! We both sew but I am more accomplished doing alterations and fittings. After she had remade the bodice four times, I finally fit the bodice to my niece. The dress had pieces of my sister's 19th century embroidered ecru silk wedding dress inside the bell sleeves and hiding in the peek-a-boo train. The sheered skirt front had hand-sewn garnets integrated into the bunching clusters. The hint of ecru and the garnet sparkle made her every move noticeable.

My niece's church had a sermon theme of "falling down before God" during October, the month they were married. Each week during the sermon series more leaves were added until over 900 silk leaves were strewn over the church's aisles. Symbolically they matched the couple's response to their marriage vows of being strong and true while growing in their relationship to each other. Even their artist designed wedding bands were adorned with leaves! The music included alternative pieces to the traditional wedding selections: Fugue for the Love of Three Oranges, Variations on a Theme by Paganini, An Irish Air, Simple Gifts, The Prayer and the Sleeping Beauty Waltz.

The medieval style feast was held in the gothic-style dining hall of Concordia Seminary. Guests were greeted with a strolling minstrel playing medieval guitar ballads. The tables were adorned with handmade sculptures of knights and ladies made by my sister, an art teacher. The bride painted the Tudor rose on each of the wine glasses that were the guest favors. The caterer prepared a 16th century French-Italian menu flavored with cinnamon and saffron - pork loin with red wine and garlic; chicken with saffron and mint; potatoes and turnips with rosemary; winter squash with meat broth and cinnamon; and hot spiced apple cider.

I'm so glad I had the opportunity to make my niece look beautiful on her wedding day and share her special day with her...a wedding filled with music, art, love and laughter that I'll never forget.

Darrell C.
Region 3

The bride and groom were dressed in matching Hawaiian outfits. Their guests were encouraged to dress appropriately. The ceremony was held under a large tent in the backyard of the bride's home. Tables were set up with pineapples as centerpieces. On the table was a card with each guests' name as it would be in Hawaiian. During the ceremony, the bride and groom each poured grains of sand into a common vessel. I suppose this is in contrast to lighting a unity candle. They exchanged leis. For the reception they had a roasted pig along with the appropriate accompaniments. There was a trio who played "Island" music during the reception.

My Wedding Experience
Beverly B.
Region 4

My husband and I have been married for 30 years this year. Since we had both been married previously, we decided that our second wedding would be small and simple. Living in Colorado, we had a couple of options - a small church wedding, a small outside wedding - with just family and friends. Since our families lived in Texas and Arizona, we needed to plan ahead to ensure our families could attend.

As we started to plan our wedding, work and family kept taking precedence and our wedding plans kept getting delayed. Soon it was close to the end of the year and we still did not have anything confirmed. So we decided to elope to Aspen. On a whim, I called a lawyer in Aspen, scheduled a hotel room for us and the couple who would be standing up for us and called a bakery in Denver for our cake.

In 24 hours, we were on our way to Aspen ready to wed. We arrived and found our lawyer was detained for part of the afternoon. Nerves set in as we only had the weekend to spare. But soon we were saying our vows and cutting our wedding cake. The wedding was very laid back - jeans and plaid flannel shirts (November in Aspen) and the wedding cake was cut with my grandmothers wedding knife.

That evening, we celebrated with our best friends and called our families. Although they were a little disappointed, we planned a celebration at each families' house over the holidays - my family at Thanksgiving and my husbands' family at Christmas.

Looking back, we could have gone the traditional route, but after 30 years of marriage, I would not change a thing.

Merle F.
Region 5

I live in Texas and my husband was from North Carolina. His father was not expected to live much longer and he wanted me to meet him before he passed away. We drove as far as Huntsville, Alabama and spent the night with his sister. We drove on the next morning to Hickory. His parents lived in a lovely neighborhood with rolling hills, etc. As soon as we turned down their street, there were several cars parked in the driveway as well as in the street. I knew before we walked in the door that we had not arrived on time. His father had passed away that morning. His family and friends were so gracious to me but I felt I was intruding on a very personal time in their lives and wished I could snap my fingers and be back in Texas. We had his funeral and a couple of days later we thought why not drive down to Charlotte and get married. We went and got our blood test, did a little shopping, spent some time with his aunt and uncle and went back later that afternoon to get the results. We went to the court house to get our license. We asked if there was a justice of the peace who could marry us. We were told that everyone had left early because it was a holiday weekend (Memorial Day). The clerk said if we would go over to the jail that they had a Magistrate on duty at all times and he would be able to perform the ceremony. We went, told them what we wanted. They took us down on the elevator, closed the cell doors behind us, and led us past several prisoners. We had a guard and a court clerk as witnesses and the Magistrate performed the ceremony right than. After it was completed, we went back up in the elevator, ran out into the courtyard and looked at each other and said "what have we just done"? We laughed so hard from utter disbelief that we had actually gotten married in jail. We made our way back to the car and drove back to Hickory. We spent our wedding night in a new Sheraton Hotel they had just built. A couple of weeks later we went to Hawaii for a beautiful honeymoon. It may not have been a traditional wedding but we have had so much fun telling our story that we wouldn't trade the experience for anything.

Maralea O.
Region 6

The wedding took place on 08-08-08 at 8:08 AM at Waller Park in Santa Maria, California. (The number "8" is considered to be lucky in the Asian culture). Our son, Dana, married Cecille. He is a six-foot tall, native Californian. She is a beautiful five-foot tall Filipina. He had never ventured farther than a few hundred miles away from home. She travelled over 7,000 miles to find a "better life" for herself in the States. They met on the internet, only to find out they lived within miles of each other! Their first date was to a local zoo and to church. The date had "full approval" from Cecille's sister who was also the chaperone. Dana proposed (after 3 1/2 years of dating) to Cecille in front of Sleeping Beauty's Castle at Disneyland. Each previous visit, they had thrown coins in the water-both wishing for this exact moment!

"8" people were in attendance at the wedding. Almost on "cue", birds began to chirp the "wedding march". The park was very isolated at this time of day. In the background, inquisitive ducks floated in the lake; as if they knew they were about to witness a very special occasion! A few squirrels stopped to observe and then went about their "normal business" racing over the early morning, dew-jeweled grass and up the towering trees, perhaps to get a better overall view of the pending ceremony!

Dana is a Junior Accountant. Cecille, who will begin nursing school soon, had worked up to become "office manager" for a medical doctor. Doctor "D" has not only been her mentor, protector and boss, but also her life-time friend. When it came to the wedding, Cecille asked Dr. D to walk her half-way down the path to her father, who would deliver his daughter to her future husband.

Dana stood nervously, awaiting his lovely bride. The groom looked "dapper" in a dark pin-striped suit, crisp white shirt and pink satin tie. A pink rose boutonniere decorated his lapel. Cecille wore a full length, strapless white gown accented with pink crystals. A gold pin (worn by the groom's mother, grandmother and great-grandmother on their wedding day) adorned the bride's dress. A crystal tiara (fit for a princess) and finger-tip veil completed the bridal attire. Cecille carried a bouquet of two shades of pink roses, each numbering "8" stems.

The ceremony lasted approximately "8" minutes. After photographs, thrown rice and blown bubbles, the happy couple headed to a brunch reception at their home. The menu consisted of both Filipino and American cuisine, lovingly prepared by family and friends. At each place setting was a small heart-shaped basket filled with "8" Jordan Almond Candies. The tiered wedding cake (decorated with "8" pearlized doves) was made by the groom's mother.

The couple honeymooned at their favorite place, Disneyland, "where dreams really do come true", and Dana and Cecille are living proof of that!